Young People from Free your Mind Campaign and Youth Cabinet attend LSCB Challenge event in Lewes.
What was today’s session about?
It was a Pan Sussex event on how to keep children and adults safe. There were lots of organisations present and representatives from each organisation were challenged on their approaches to working with young people and what they are doing to keep young people safe and have their voices heard.
What were the key themes/topics discussed/why?
Safeguarding was the main topic on what each organisation does in ways of safeguarding children – Services present were: Ambulance Service, Probation, Police and the Primary Care Trust.
Mental health was discussed: the patient/young person who is put into services and how they are supported and that actually they talk to the adult rather than the young person. They are making baby steps and progress in improving within A & E. Some people get their “intelligent based information sharing system” communication tool, meaning they get the right response for them (Kent Mental health services).
Self-harm/Suicide/ what to do in an emergency – would young people have enough confidence to call the emergency services? Young people said – It Depends on the practitioner, on the response.
Young people asked: How are the wishes and feelings taken into account? Probation- there is a scheme for victims with liaison, however there is no communication with anyone under 18, the service always communicates with the parent – because of sensitive information.
Ambulance – this is a unplanned service based on clinical needs, they do patient surveys with a generic approach, no patient lists, no involvement from young people or young people voices. Need communication skills for staff, particularly mental health.
There is a website called “Safe Space Sussex” for people to signpost to agencies that can help specific to their needs.
Your feelings and thoughts on these and why?
It was a good day; it was nice to hear things I wouldn’t have known otherwise. What the services do but equally disappointing because of the lack of contact or involvement of young people.
Good practice?
People are referred on to other organisations, if this doesn’t work; we were not clear what happens?
What is going to change as a result of these works/discussions? What’s the learning?
We feel there needs to be more involvement of young people and their voice. Particularly around mental health, would young people have the confidence to call 999? There seems to a lack of communication between services.
What are the actions going forward from the meeting?
We could take this back to the free your mind meeting and meet with Steven Hillier, Cabinet member and discuss what actions we could do going forward.
What are the outcomes and impact for young people/services etc?
We need to put our voices across, and hopefully make them see where they are going wrong. We need to get the information across. Some organisations, particularly the ambulance service didn’t seem like they wanted to change anything (they were not empathetic for young people/ mental health issues)
What have you taken away from today?
More understanding that a lot more needs to be done, in terms of services for young people, young people need to be consulted more and their views are important, especially if they are the patient.
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